Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) - IMDb (New York City) – See all my reviews I love the original films, probably ANH most of all. If you saw it on it's original release you had a cinema experience unlike any other. There just weren't films like this being made. Sure, it drew on films and books of the past, but nothing had looked or sounded like this. You have to remember the world we lived in then. Video games were very rudimentary. Even ASTEROIDS was several years in our future. And 2001 was one of the few films to show us convincing views of space travel. STAR WARS was something new with a capital "N". Audiences loved it. And it changed movies. By 1999, we'd seen numerous Science Fiction movies, lots of space battles, lots of special effects. And video games had developed a realism that was shocking compared to what we'd had in 1977. Enter THE PHANTOM MENACE. Not only did this film have to live up to memories of the originals, it also had to compete in an entertainment world that had caught up.

Lucas could never create an experience as mind-blowing as he had in the original. But he was going to try. And he was also going to try to do a few other different things. The nexus of this new thought was Jar Jar Binks. A CGI creation that was also a character. And a type of character never before seen in the SW Universe, a comic relief character. But more than that, a slapstick comic relief character. In many of the movies that inspired STAR WARS there are such characters. And Lucas wanted to try one in his films. Well, for most, he failed. Many, or at least the most vocal, hated Jar Jar Binks. And few of these people even credited him for trying something new. They didn't want Lucas' STAR WARS. They wanted their STAR WARS. A STAR WARS, it is important to note, that only exists in their minds. In addition, he decided to make Anakin a small boy. Another new decision. STAR WARS had never featured a boy character. Again, the fans whined. They didn't like it. They didn't want Lucas to try new things. But he also gave them what they came to expect.

A truly great action set-piece: The pod race. One of the best action set-pieces in the entire series. And he gave them a lightsaber duel unlike any they'd ever seen. But that wasn't enough. Sadly, had Lucas made a film that was little more than a remake of STAR WARS with Anakin in the Luke role, fans would have been happy. And I think that says more about the limited scope of STAR WARS fans than it does about the talents of George Lucas. THE PHANTOM MENACE, like all the films in the series, has it's own unique tone and flavor. And though these flavors may not be to everyone's taste, I think in the coming years more and more fans will come to appreciate this film for what it is, rather than what they wish it would be. 542 of 996 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Super Reviewer ½ Phantom is a frustrating watch, however there are elements worth admiring: its ambition plot, Williams' score, the art direction, and the iconic duel with Darth Maul.

Matthew Samuel Mirliani Super Reviewer Filled with horrific dialogue, laughable characters, a laughable plot, ad really no interesting stakes during this film, "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" is not at all what I wanted from a film that is supposed to be the huge opening to the segue into the fantastic Original Trilogy. The positives include the score, the sound effects, and most of the visual effects, which provide some great eye candy for audiences, but if that's all the film has, then what the hell is the film's purpose? It does helm one of the best lightsaber battles in the franchise and there are a few fun fan service moments, but I don't have anything else nice to say, and I could rant for days, so I am stopping here. This film is a complete mess in every way, but it still could have been worse. KJ Proulx Super Reviewer ½ I've had a saying that I've used for almost 20 years now in relation to The Phantom Menace. I compare the film to waking up Christmas morning expecting some great present only to receive socks. Nothing against socks. They have a place and are quite needed, but there's no flash with it.

The same goes for The Phantom Menace, a film that really doesn't live up to the excitement of the films that came before it. The film follows the early adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan MacGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Jake Loyd), the boy found in the Tatoine desert by Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). In that sentence the film sounds like it would have some potential. Throw in trade routes, treaties, and Jar Jar Binks and you derail any exciting ideas that are out there. Sadly, this is what the film focuses on as it fails in many ways. Bloated with CGI overindulgence and dialogue that is embarrassing the film relies on its action, which it hands out in spoonfuls. Looking back over 15 years later you can see what a great film this could have been. The opening scenes with the Jedi fighting droids and hiding on the planet of Naboo. The pod race. The ending with three fronts and Darth Maul. If these sections could have been bridged in a better way than this could have been a far superior film than it turned out to be.

Why, of why, didn't we get more Darth Maul when he was plastered on every piece of merchandise back in 1999? There are the parts to a good Star Wars film there, just not enough hardware to pull it together. Would it have compared to the originals? No, but that's ok. This film was parsecs away from those films (error intended) What The Phantom menace represents is the footing that the saga is built on. It's buried deep underground and doesn't serve much purpose. It's there doing its job, even if it's an ugly mess. Kind of like socks. I've softened a bit on the film, but I can't call it anything more than average. That's it. An average film equals a horrible Star Wars film. Even years later this is still one of the most disappointing films of all time. Chris Garman Is the movie: 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' racist? - Quora Quora Movies Is the movie: "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" racist?

Other than being almost complete crap I've noticed some highly racist accent and looks (in short -- all good guys white, all dubious creatures are non-white): Jedi knights -- British, evil Trade Federation -- Asian, Silly Gungans are Afro-Americans, junk trader Watto's -- Semetic Written Feb 12, 2016 No, the movie is not remotely racist. I'll respond to your points one-by-one, then add some extra thoughts. All good guys white, all dubious creatures non-white What about Mace Windu? Yoda? Palpatine, the main villain, is white. Of course the main cast is mostly white because the movie was made in England by an American production company. Bollywood movies usually have Indian heroes. Do you consider blue aliens to be racist? Most of the aliens have skin tones that make sense for the creature (e.g. Jar Jar is a reptilian colour). Jedi accents are 'aristocratic' and formal. This is for story reasons (except Qui-Gon who has Liam Neeson's Irish accent). That's just film convention. Most characters in the Empire have English accents in the other movies. Mace Windu has an American accent.

The main villain has an English accent (Scottish actor, FWIW). Many good characters do not have British accents - Anakin, Jar Jar, Panaka (English actor, American accent), and others. In movies, accents are a shortcut. Making the Jedi mostly speak with upper-class British accents tells the audience something about their status in society. Giving Watto a thick working class accent tells us a lot about his character. The Nemoidian/Trade Federation accents are not Asian, they are based on Transylvanian accents in old Dracula movies, apparently. The Nemoidians wear capes...are they racist portrayals of vampires? Jar Jar and the Gungans are not 'afro-American'. Jar Jar is played by a black American actor, and the language/dialogue is a pidgin, which is thematically important to the movie. Boss Nass, the other main Gungan character is played by Brian Blessed, a white English actor. Watto was played by a Welsh actor using what he described as a 'sort of Italian' accent. Not Jewish. People who criticise films like Star Wars for racial stereotyping don't understand how racial stereotypes arise. Racial stereotypes (generally speaking) stem from cultural archetypes.

For example, racist depictions of black Americans borrow heavily from cultural archetypes of 'the fool', and you can see this in any old, racist portrayals where racists tried to show black people as having low intelligence by transposing the 'fool' archetype onto them - the way they walk and talk, for example in typically foolish ways. Racist stereotypes of Jews as greedy led to Jewish caricatures having horns and hooked noses. These symbols of negative characteristics pre-date racial stereotypes and come from folklore and other cultural sources. Star Wars is a mythic story, and most of the characters are based on old cultural archetypes - the old, bearded wizard, the bored farmboy, the 'wise fool', etc. "[some] reviewers fail to appreciate the difference between literary archetypes and popular stereotypes, or to realize that the latter are almost always based on the former." Page on brightlightsfilm.com It shouldn't need to be pointed out, but the characters in Star Wars that people claim are racist tend to be ALIENS. Not humans of a particular race. If Watto was a greedy, hook-nosed, human Jew, a case could be made that the portrayal is offensive (depending on the wider context).

But Watto is a Toydarian with wings who just happens to be a greedy, sleazy salesman archetype. The fact that some people use similar traits in racist stereotypes is not relevant. And another important point (not specific to The Phantom Menace, but to Star Wars as a whole) is that the story clearly shows that the 'good guys' embrace all species and skin colours in their ranks - Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, C-3P0, Leia, Yoda, Ewoks, etc., whereas the 'bad guys' are mostly white, human, and male (at least once the Empire starts up). It's also obvious that George Lucas, the writer and director, is not a racist person, so if anything in the movie is 'on the nose' it's not deliberate. In short, anyone who claims there is any racism in The Phantom Menace is mistaken, either because they are mistaken about the difference between an archetype and a racial stereotype or because they are trying to find something that looks like it might be racially insensitive.

“Episode I – The Phantom Menace” original Star Wars movie review – 1999 – The Denver Post This original “Star Wars: Episode I” movie review was published May 16, 1999. “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” 2 STARS We’re being Force-fed a kid’s flick as the Hollywood blockbuster for all time. Maybe George Lucas — the director, writer, and Yodalike poohbah behind “”Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” — isn’t responsible for the hype associated with its release. Maybe, as he claims, he just wanted to make a high-tech adventure film for 12-year-olds and the rest is just the creation of an overstimulated, overpopulated media. But he is responsible for “”Phantom Menace” being nowhere near as good as the original “”Star Wars” trilogy. Lucas has had 16 years to imagine what his “”prequel” to that trilogy would be — “”Return of the Jedi” was made in 1983.

Perhaps he has become too lost in his mastery of computer-generated effects and digital sound to remember that creativity in the movies is not just a technical thing. It also takes good writing and inspired acting, as well as plot points that are clever and detailed rather than perfunctory. “”Phantom Menace” lacks these. And for that matter, computer effects have their limits — there are times in “”Phantom Menace” when it looks as if the backgrounds have been superimposed. The film made me want to visit a park or a zoo; the artificiality of its computer-generated world grows suffocatingly fakey. “Phantom Menace” does offer the kind of sights and sounds that kids should relish — lightsaber battles, heroic children, fantastical creatures, exotic cities and a mysterious teenage queen. A lot of this is fine — Lucas and his crew at Industrial Light & Magic can conjure worlds that are as delightful as they are strange. The underwater city of Otoh Gunga, protected by gigantic membrane-like floating bubbles, is a noteworthy accomplishment. So, too, is the cavernous Galactic Senate Chamber on the skyscraper-packed planet of Coruscant.

Legislators sit in box-seatlike platforms that detach and float through the air like rafts on water when they want to speak. Also impressive is the desolate Mos Espa Arena on the desertlike planet Tatooine, where some 100,000 spectators gather as Jabba the Hutt presides over a NASCAR-like Podrace. The race, itself, is a disappointment. Lucas wants this event to have the excitement of “”Ben-Hur’s” chariot race, but it is closer to a numbingly repetitious video game. All these elements give “”Phantom Menace” appeal for young viewers. Yet even then, it has a split personality. The action scenes have the kind of relentless PG-rated intensity that will appeal to older preteens, for better or worse. But the central character, 10-year-old Anakin Skywalker, is just a little boy. And there is an allegedly “”cute” creature called Jar Jar (pronounced Zsa-Zsa) Binks, a floppy-eared lizardlike thing with stand-up eyes, a flickering tongue, awkward body movements and an annoying vocabulary of mangled-English baby talk. Jar Jar is in this movie as much as anyone.

But a little bit of Jar Jar dialogue — like “”Who suh are you suh” or “”Is you thinking youse people gonna die?” — goes a long, long, long, long, way. It’s an attempt at a new Chewbacca, but it’s as if Barney, instead of Harrison Ford, played Han Solo. Maybe Jar Jar would be easier to take if the human characters were better. But “”Phantom Menace” offers only the rudimentaries of a relationship between its adult heroes, the young Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his long-haired mentor, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). At the film’s start, they remove their hoods, immediately get into the first of several big lightsaber battles with a seemingly overpowering enemy, and never look back. There is little insight into the roots of their relationship. They barely communicate with each other. (And don’t go to “”Phantom Menace” because you’re a Samuel L.

Jackson fan; his role is a cameo.) Young Jake Lloyd, who plays Anakin, is a fair-haired, good-looking kid, but unaffecting in a role that is underwritten, given its significance to the “”Star Wars” legacy. From the other films, we already know that Anakin grows up to be corrupted by the Dark Side and become Darth Vader, as well as the father of hero Luke Skywalker. The key new revelation here concerns the miraculous nature of his birth, which may be connected to the origins of the Force. Anakin lives with his mother on the planet Tatooine, where they are slaves to a grotesque, winged creature called Watto. Sensing the boy’s abilities, Qui-Gon wins the right to free him. This necessitates that Anakin leave his mother. It should be an emotional moment, but it occurs all too easily. And the dialogue between Neeson and Swedish actress Pernilla August, who plays Anakin’s saintly mom, is bland and banal. A villain called Darth Maul is played by Ray Park in orange-and-black Halloween makeup. He is a ferocious practitioner of martial arts and has a double-edged saber. But who is he, really?

We are told an apprentice to Sith Lord Darth Sidious, but essentially he’s just a prop that appears out of nowhere whenever “”Phantom Menace” needs a good fight. He’s no Darth Vader. Far more interesting is the teen Queen Amidala of the planet Naboo, although the story leaves her with too icy a personality and too little to do or say. But Natalie Portman offers us modellike composure and spectacular couture, featuring costumes designed by Trisha Biggar. The queen’s most arresting feature is her makeup — a white-powdered face and weird lipstick that make her look as strange as some of the film’s computer-generated creatures. I’d be more enthusiastic about “”Phantom Menace” as a kid’s movie if it weren’t so umbilically connected to all the merchandise. What came first, the picture books and the action-figure dolls or the story? And what took more time? The very words “”Star Wars” connote American pop culture at its headiest — dashing, entrancing and awe-inspiring with its ability to weave whatever it touches into golden memories (and coins).

Maybe it originally was meant for kids, but its inspired craftsmanship allowed it to speak convincingly to the kid in all of us. That’s why “”Star Wars” has lasted. “”Phantom Menace” offers fun for kids, but the adult in us can see its shabby construction. It’s just a mediocre movie sequel. Or prequel. Whatever. Directed and written by: George Lucas Photography by: David Tattersall Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Pernilla August, Ray Park, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz. Running time: 2 hours, 11 minutes Rating: PG for science-fiction action. Distributed by: 20th Century Fox. Video of alleged animal abuse on set of “A Dog’s Purpose” sparks boycott January 19, 2017, 3:35 pm The trailer for “A Dog’s Purpose,” the new children’s dramedy from Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom (“Chocolate,” “The Cider House Rules”), promised an adorable romp when the movie is released on Jan. 27.

But another video — this one less family friendly — published by TMZ on Wednesday incited some to promise a boycott of the movie and has prompted an... Colorado documentaries making a splash at Sundance Film Festival January 19, 2017, 10:35 pm As one of the world’s largest indie film festivals gets underway in Park City, Utah, this week, Colorado filmmakers are the feeling the momentum of the state’s growing prestige in the international documentary scene. Why 2017 is going to be a super-sized year for Laura Dern January 18, 2017, 3:43 pm But among Laura Dern’s four-plus decades on screen — which include a pair of Oscar nominations for 1992’s “Rambling Rose” and 2014’s “Wild” — the year 2017 might prove to be Dern’s most high-profile yet.

In “20th Century Women,” a young man comes of age, with female help January 18, 2017, 12:46 pm Fans of Mike Mills’ work will instantly recognize “20th Century Women” as a bookend for his wonderful 2011 film “Beginners,” which paid homage to his late father, Paul. Here, he lavishes his attention on a woman who came of age during the 1930s. Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace | Wookieepedia | Fandom powered by Wikia Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 133,461pages on (DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and Digital HD) Budget "Every saga has a beginning." ―Tagline[src] Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace is a 1999 Star Wars film written and directed by George Lucas . It was the fourth live-action film to be released in theaters and the first film of the prequel trilogy. It was also the first Star Wars film to be re-released in 3D.

The film was produced by Rick McCallum and stars Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , and Ian McDiarmid as the primary characters. The film takes place thirty-two years before Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope , the first film released in the saga, and begins as two Jedi attempt to resolve a trade dispute and eventual invasion of the planet Naboo by the Trade Federation . Unknown to the Jedi is that the situation is being manipulated by Sheev Palpatine , the Senator of Naboo and secretly a Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Sidious. The Sith , the ancient enemies of the Jedi, reveal themselves to the Jedi after a thousand years in hiding; while the Jedi discover a young Tatooine slave named Anakin Skywalker , the Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force —and who will grow up to become Darth Vader. Meanwhile, Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo fights to save her people from the invasion. The Phantom Menace was released in theaters on May 19 , 1999, becoming the first Star Wars film since Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi sixteen years earlier. The release was accompanied by extensive media coverage and great fan anticipation.

Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans, the film grossed $924.3 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing Star Wars film when unadjusted for inflation. The film was re-released on Blu-ray in September 2011 , and was re-released in theaters in 3D on February 10 , 2012 . The film was the first major story in the prequel era and began fifteen years of canon Star Wars storytelling that would primarily take place around the time of the prequel storyline. The success of the film allowed for the next two chapters of the prequel trilogy, as well as the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and television series . Numerous Star Wars Legends stories were also told in or influenced by The Phantom Menace and the prequels. Contents Episode I THE PHANTOM MENACE Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute. Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all shipping to the small planet of Naboo.

While the Congress of the Republic endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, to settle the conflict.... Synopsis "I have a bad feeling about this." "I don't sense anything." "It's not about the mission, Master. It's something…elsewhere…elusive." ―Obi-Wan Kenobi to Qui-Gon Jinn[src] Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan prepare to fight their way out of the Trade Federation flagship. There is trade dispute between the Trade Federation and the outlying systems of the Galactic Republic , which has led to a blockade of the small planet of Naboo . Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum , leader of the Galactic Senate , has secretly dispatched two Jedi , Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan , Obi-Wan Kenobi , to serve as "the ambassadors" to the Federation flagship , in order to meet with Viceroy Nute Gunray and resolve the dispute.

Unknown to them, the Trade Federation is in league with the mysterious Darth Sidious , Dark Lord of the Sith , who secretly orders Gunray to invade Naboo (as well as implying that he would ensure that their invasion was made legal when asked if it was illegal by Gunray) and kill the two Jedi upon their arrival. Using poison gas, the Viceroy attempts to poison the two Jedi knights as an assassination attempt, but fails. After having to battle their way through squads of battle droids, Jinn and Kenobi make their way to the command deck where Gunray is located, shielding himself behind blast doors. The Jedi are forced to flee upon the arrival of two Destroyer Droids, but with their ship, Radiant VII , now destroyed, the two Jedi stow themselves aboard two separate Federation landing craft leaving for the surface of Naboo to begin the invasion. Queen Amidala then contacts Gunray expressing her disapproval of their blockade of Naboo, with Gunray explaining that they wouldn't have done it without the approval of the senate. After questioning Gunray regarding the arrival of ambassadors sent by the Chancellor, Gunray claims that they have been greeted by no such ambassadors, leaving Amidala startled.

Gunray, after ending communications with her, informs his aide that they should disable all communications on the planet in case she suspected an invasion. Meanwhile, Amidala is conversing with Senator Sheev Palpatine regarding the recent attempt at negotiations and how Gunray claimed that they did not receive any ambassadors. Surprised, Palpatine states that he had assurances from the Chancellor that his ambassadors did arrive. However, Palpatine is unable to finish his sentence and his hologram begins to short out. Naboo Governor, Sio Bibble , suspects that the shorting out of communications is a sign that an invasion from the Trade Federation is imminent. The Jedi liberate the Queen and her guards from the battle droid invasion. On the planet's surface, Qui-Gon saves local native outcast Jar Jar Binks from being crushed by an MTT . Later, STAPs attack but are destroyed by Qui-Gon. Jar Jar Binks shows the two Jedi the way to an underwater Gungan settlement, Otoh Gunga , escaping the Trade Federation army. Meanwhile, the Trade Federation invades Naboo and captures Queen Amidala.

The Jedi meet the Gungan leader, Boss Nass , and ask him to help the people of Naboo, but Nass refuses and sends them off in a bongo submarine . They are attacked by an opee sea killer and a colo claw fish but both fish are eaten by a sando aqua monster . The Jedi, with Binks in tow, reach Theed , the capital city of Naboo, and rescue Queen Amidala from the Trade Defense Force . They depart for Coruscant , the Galactic Republic's capital planet, to ask for help from the Senate. An astromech droid named R2-D2 manages to repair the Queen's starship and they narrowly escape an attack from Federation battleships . Due to the damage the ship's hyperdrive sustained in the attack, the Queen's party is forced to land on the desert planet of Tatooine for repairs. While searching for a new hyperdrive generator, they befriend young Anakin Skywalker , a slave boy, whose master is Watto , a Toydarian junk dealer. Watto has the required parts in stock, but Qui-Gon is unable to purchase them, as Republic credits are worthless on Tatooine.

Anakin races ahead of Sebulba during the Boonta Eve Podrace. Anakin is gifted with piloting and mechanical abilities, and has built an almost-complete droid named C-3PO . Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force in Anakin, and feels that he may be the Chosen One – the one who will fulfill a prophecy by bringing balance to the Force. By entering Anakin into a podrace , Qui-Gon orchestrates a gamble in which the boy (alone, since Qui-Gon was unable to include the youth's mother in the bargain) will be released from slavery while also acquiring the parts needed for their ship. The night before the race, Qui-Gon does a blood test on Anakin and discovers that the boy's midi-chlorian reading is off the chart. Anakin wins the race and joins the team as they head for Coruscant, where Qui-Gon plans to seek permission from the Jedi High Council to train Anakin to be a Jedi. Meanwhile, Darth Sidious sends his apprentice, Darth Maul , to kill the two Jedi and capture the Queen. Maul appears just as the group is leaving the planet, and duels with Qui-Gon.

The fight is cut short when Qui-Gon manages to escape his black-robed assailant by jumping onboard the Naboo Royal Starship as it takes off. Amidala and Palpatine plead before the Senate to intervene with Naboo's crisis. On Coruscant, Qui-Gon informs the Jedi Council of the mysterious attacker he encountered on Tatooine. Because of that being's obvious mastery of the Jedi arts, the Council becomes concerned that this development may indicate the reappearance of the Sith , a religious order who were followers of the dark side of the force and thought to be long gone. Qui-Gon also informs the Council about Anakin, hoping that he can be trained as a Jedi. After testing the boy and deliberating with one another, the Council refuses, deeming him too old for training according to the Jedi Code . They are also concerned due to their sensing of a seemingly clouded future and a strong presence of fear in the boy. Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine, warning of the corruption in the Senate, advises Queen Amidala to call for a Vote of No Confidence in Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum. Seeing no alternative, the Queen takes this advice when she addresses the Senate.

Palpatine is among the candidates to replace the Supreme Chancellor, and the Queen later announces to Palpatine that she herself will return to their home planet to repel the invasion of her people. She is frustrated by the Senate's deliberation and lack of action, and feels that even if Palpatine is elected Chancellor, it will be too late. The Jedi Council sends the two Jedi to accompany the Queen back to Naboo, hoping to shed light on any Sith involvement. Boss Nass at the Gungan Sacred Place. Queen Amidala, back on Naboo, attempts to locate the Gungans at Otoh Gunga, but Jar-Jar, after searching Otoh Gunga, informs them that it was abandoned. He then leads them to a sacred area which he was certain they were at. Upon arriving at the Gungan Sacred Place , Amidala negotiates with Boss Nass to form an alliance and unite in battle against the Trade Federation. Captain Panaka and several other security forces were also dispatched to rescue anyone imprisoned in the Trade Federation's prison camps, although they were only able to successfully extract a handful.

Next, Amidala informs Qui-Gon and Nass of her battle strategy: with the Grand Gungan Army acting as a distraction to the bulk of the main Trade Federation forces, the Naboo resistance led by Amidala, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will infiltrate Theed via a secret entrance located inside one of the waterfalls. Nute Gunray, taking the bait regarding the Gungan Army, informs Darth Sidious about the Grand Army, the latter then promptly ordering Gunray to wipe out the Gungans and the Naboo as the Trade Federation prepares for battle. Captain Roos Tarpals orders the Gungan Grand Army to start up their shield , to protect them from ranged attack. OOM-9 has his tanks fire first, but seeing them fail to penetrate the powerful shield, orders them to cease fire. Daultay Dofine gives the command to activate the battle droids. These droids march through the shield, and its generator is destroyed. After much fighting against the Federation's droid army, defeat for the alliance seems imminent.

However, victory comes when young Anakin Skywalker accidentally takes control of a starfighter and goes on to destroy the Federation's Droid Control Ship from the inside, killing Daultay Dofine and rendering the droid army useless. Meanwhile, Amidala and her force fight their way back into the royal palace and capture Nute Gunray. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight against Darth Maul during the Battle of Naboo. At the same time, in a Theed hangar bay , Darth Maul (an apprentice of the Darth Sidious) engages in combat with the two Jedi, using a double-bladed lightsaber . The battle moves from the hangar, across a series of catwalks, to the Theed Generator Complex. During the fight, Obi-Wan is separated from his master when he is kicked off of a catwalk and falls. He grabs the edge of another catwalk below and jumps back up to where Qui-Gon and Maul continue to fight. By this time, Qui-Gon and Maul have become separated by a force field in the entrance to the Generator Room. Obi-Wan catches up to them, but is divided from his master by four force fields.

When the force fields deactivates, Jinn and Maul continue their battle while Kenobi remains divided from the battle by one force field when they all reactivate. After a lengthy duel, Maul suddenly hits Qui-Gon on the chin with his lightsaber handle, stunning him, then rams his lightsaber straight into Qui-Gon's chest, mortally wounding him. Devastated, Obi-Wan redoubles his assault upon Maul and chops the Sith's lightsaber in half, but Maul eventually overpowers and nearly kills Kenobi when he Force pushes him over the edge of a seemingly endless reactor shaft. Obi-Wan saves himself from falling when he manages to grab onto a pipe protruding from the wall of the shaft. Maul then kicks the Jedi's lightsaber into the pit and prepares to finish him off. After Obi-Wan calms himself, he uses the Force to jump out of the shaft and summons his fallen master's lightsaber to his hand. Within an instant, he lands behind the surprised Maul and cuts him in half; Maul's upper and lower body falls into the shaft.

Obi-Wan reaches Qui-Gon moments before he dies, as Qui-Gon instructs Obi-Wan to train Anakin to become a Jedi, reiterating that Anakin is the Chosen One. Obi-Wan gives his word that he will. The newly-elected Chancellor Palpatine arrives to congratulate Queen Amidala on her victory, as Nute Gunray is sent to stand trial for his crimes. The Gungans and the Naboo celebrate their victory. After the battle, the Jedi Council names Obi-Wan a Jedi Knight. Kenobi conveys his master's wish regarding Anakin Skywalker to Yoda , who reluctantly allows him to become Obi-Wan's apprentice. Qui-Gon's body is cremated, and Mace Windu and Yoda agree that the Sith are definitely to blame for the tragedy. Being that there are only ever two Sith at any given time (a Master and an apprentice), both Masters believe that one must still remain. The Naboo and Gungans organize a great victory celebration on the streets of Theed, in front on the palace.

Obi-Wan and Anakin are present, the younger now wearing formal Jedi attire, and in his hair is a special braid : the mark of a Jedi Padawan . Queen Amidala presents a gift of appreciation and friendship to Boss Nass and the Gungan people. Development Edit Along the lines of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, all three prequel films were originally intended to be written and shot as one large production, and released back-to-back. [2] The role of director was offered to Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Robert Zemeckis. According to Howard, Lucas didn't necessarily want to direct Episode I. He further commented that all three directors turned down the position as the film was Lucas's "baby." [3] Many fans began waiting outside cinema theaters as early as a month in advance of ticket sales. [4] The budget of Menace was estimated $115 million. Shooting took place from June 26 to September 30 , 1997 . As with Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope , Episode I's main exterior filming locations were in Tunisia . The podrace was filmed in a canyon near Sidi Bouhlel and Oung Jmel .

A set was built near Oung Jmel to represent Mos Espa on Tatooine. The Slave Quarters Row were filmed in ksour's near Tataouine and Ksar Medenine . Small parts were filmed in Royal Caserta Palace in Italy and Whippendell Woods in the United Kingdom , but Hever Castle was later cut. Studio work was mainly done at Leavesden Studios in the United Kingdom. Unlike the latter two films in the series which were shot on digital video , most of this film was shot in 35 mm, with a few scenes shot in digital video. This episode was also the first of the Saga to be referred to primarily by its number (Episode One) by media and fans, to contrast it with the classical saga the public already knew. This reference also gave finally some sense to the riddling numbers IV-VI of the previous movies.

Release Edit One of the most popular marketing posters for the film The Phantom Menace received enormous media-created hype, which made Lucasfilm's $20 million advertising campaign – with the distinctive artwork of Star Wars series artist Drew Struzan gracing the movie poster and other advertising – seem modest and almost unnecessary because of the unprecedented interest amongst both fans and the wider audience in the return of the franchise. Few film studios released films during the same week as the release of The Phantom Menace; among the more courageous were DreamWorks and Universal Studios , with the releases of The Love Letter and Notting Hill respectively. The Love Letter resulted in a box-office flop, whereas Notting Hill fared rather well and followed The Phantom Menace closely in second place. [5] Challenger, Gray & Christmas of Chicago, a work-issues consulting firm, estimated that 2.2 million full-time employees did not appear for work to attend the film, resulting in $293 million in lost productivity. The Wall Street Journal reported that such a large number of workers announced plans to view premiere screenings that many companies shut down on the premiere day. [6] Many fans began waiting outside cinema theaters as early as a month in advance of ticket sales.

[7] More theater lines appeared when it was announced that cinemas were not allowed to sell tickets in advance until two weeks into the release. This was done out of fear that family theater-goers would either be unable to receive tickets or would be forced to pay higher prices. Tickets were instead to be sold on a traditional first-come-first-serve basis. [8] However, after meetings with the National Association of Theatre Owners , Lucasfilm agreed to allow advance ticket sales on May 12 , 1999 , provided that there be a 12-ticket limit per customer. [9] As a result, however, some advance tickets were sold by " scalpers " as high as $100 apiece, which a distribution chief called "horrible", stating it was exactly what they wanted to avoid. [10] Daily Variety reported that theater owners received strict instructions from Lucasfilm that the film could only play in the cinema's largest auditorium for the first 8–12 weeks; no honor passes were allowed for the first eight weeks, and they were obligated to send their payments to distributor 20th Century Fox within seven days.

[11] Servers at the film's official website became gridlocked soon after the release of the first teaser trailer , [12] and many fans of the series paid full admission to see Meet Joe Black only to leave after the trailer had run. The same tradition followed months later when the theatrical trailer was featured in front of Wing Commander . [13] The theatrical trailer caused even more notable media hype, because it not only premiered in theaters, but screened at the ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas , and was aired on television on Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood . [14] An unusual marketing scheme was pursued across the United Kingdom , where the teaser trailer was released on December 2 , 1998 and then pulled from theaters six weeks later. [15] Despite worries about whether the film would be finished in time, two weeks prior to its debut Lucasfilm pushed the release date up from May 21 , 1999 to May 19 , 1999 . At the ShoWest Convention, Lucas stated that the change was to give the fans a "head start" by allowing them to view it over the week and allowing families the chance to view on the weekends.

In a nod toward his future with digital technology, Lucas stated that the film would be released on four digital projectors on June 18 , 1999 . [16] Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16 , 1999 ; receivings from the Los Angeles event were given to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation with corporate packages available for $5,000-$25,000. [17] Other charity premieres included the Dallas premiere for Children's Medical Center , the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at the Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York, the Big Brother/Sister Assn. of the Philadelphia premiere, and the Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. A statement said that tickets were sold at $500 apiece and that certain sections were set aside for disadvantaged children.

[18] Reception Star Wars (Episode 1): The Phantom Menace | Reelviews Movie Reviews Array ( [page] => reelviews [view] => star-wars-episode-1-the-phantom-menace ) Star Wars (Episode 1): The Phantom Menace (United States, 1999) A movie review by James Berardinelli When George Lucas first conceived the idea for Star Wars , it was just a movie. Over the course of 22 years, it has grown into a full-blown phenomenon - an event that gives promoters orgasmic shivers and makes theater employees wish they could take a week off. When it comes to unbridled anticipation generated by the release of a film, The Phantom Menace has antecedents. Gone with the Wind was the entertainment event of the '30s. Goldfinger was so popular that some movie houses stayed open 24 hours a day to meet demand. And Star Trek: The Motion Picture had Trekkies and Trekkers standing in lines for hours on end.

Yet, in terms of both intensity and widespread interest, the motion picture industry has never seen anything like this before, nor is it likely to in the foreseeable future (not even in 3 years, when the next Star Wars movie is released). The hype has dwarfed the film, reducing it to a cultural footnote. Even Lucas, who will reap the majority of The Phantom Menace's financial windfall, is concerned. In New York on May 9, he was quoted as saying, "People should have a well-rounded life. I'm happy that Star Wars stimulates young people's imagination... but when you get a situation like this where you have so much hype and expectation, a movie can't possibly live up to that." Indeed, when you get right down to it, The Phantom Menace is a movie, and can be treated as such.

Those who have camped out at a theater box office for three-plus weeks may disagree, as may those who have spent $500 on an advance charity screening, but, in the end, everyone will be doing the same thing, regardless of whether they're the first admission or the last: sitting in a darkened theater, staring at the screen, and absorbing the sounds and images that represents the vision of a film maker who has left an indelible imprint upon two generations of movie-goers. Consideration of the movie, with its strengths and weaknesses, deserves to be divorced from an analysis of the Star Wars phenomenon. This is not the greatest film ever made, as some fans would have you believe, nor does it signal the death knell of artistic motion pictures, as high-brow critic-prophets cry out. So what about the movie? How close does it come to meeting the astronomical expectations placed upon it by a frenzied fandom and a curious public? The best place to start is with the storyline, which does an effective job of fulfilling its three-fold purpose: telling a self-contained tale set in the Star Wars universe, setting up the first trilogy, and remaining faithful to the previously-established mythos. We already know how everything ends.

Now it's time to learn how it all begins. The Phantom Menace starts in familiar fashion: the Lucasfilm logo materializes, followed by the words "Star Wars", then the introductory crawl - all are done in accompaniment to John Williams' score. It's the kind of opening that brings a twinge of nostalgia to those of us who were there, in theaters, in 1977. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, keeping his clothes on throughout), are on a diplomatic mission to the planet Naboo, where they hope to negotiate the end to a blockade of the planet organized by the Trade Federation. When they arrive, however, they find themselves caught in a trap sprung by the mysterious Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid), who is making a play to take control of the Galactic Republic. After surviving an attempt on their lives in a planet-orbiting space station, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan end up on the ground in the midst of an invasion by an army of droids.

After meeting the amphibious Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), they move to save Naboo's teenage ruler, Queen Amidala, from possible execution. That involves taking her and her retinue (including her favorite squat droid, R2-D2) into space. From Naboo, the action moves to the desert planet of Tatooine, where the two Jedi encounter young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a slave child with amazing potential in the Force, then to the capital world of the Republic, and finally back to Naboo. Meanwhile, Darth Maul (Ray Park), Sidious' minion, is tracking the Jedi with dire intentions. Even though this film takes place some forty years before Star Wars, there are plenty of familiar faces. In addition to R2-D2 (again played by Kenny Baker), an "unfinished" C-3PO (voice provided by Anthony Daniels) is around for a segment of the story. Jabba the Hut has a brief cameo, and Yoda is in a couple of scenes. There's also Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious, who will eventually become Return of the Jedi 's Emperor Palpatine.

And new actors are on hand to play the familiar parts of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness in the original) and Anakin Skywalker. Plot-wise, the film borrows a lot, at least in terms of structure, from Return of the Jedi. After a rousing opening sequence, things slow down for a while. Then, on Tatooine, there's an amazing racing sequence featuring "pod" space ships. Finally, the film concludes with three separate, simultaneous story threads all building to a climax. The martial arts-influenced light saber duel between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan is the best that The Phantom Menace has to offer - a virtuoso action sequence directed with skill and understanding of what an audience craves from this sort of confrontation. Those looking for influences will find that Lucas draws from sources as diverse as TV sports commentary and religious traditions (there's a "Chosen One" - not Keanu Reeves - and a virgin birth). Attempts to provide a more scientific explanation for the Force are ineffective, however. Ben Kenobi's quick tutorial in the original Star Wars should have been allowed to stand on its own. Adding physics to the metaphysical doesn't work.

The Star Wars movies have always relied on the nobility of heroes and the nastiness of villains, and The Phantom Menace is no exception. As Qui-Gon, Liam Neeson brings an unforced nobility to his performance, while Ewan McGregor injects a sense of recklessness into his portrayal of Obi-Wan. Neither is an earthshaking acting job, but the two accomplished thespians are doing more than simply reacting to special effects. On the other side of the Force is Ray Park's Darth Maul (he of the black-and-orange painted face), who doesn't say much, but compensates with menacing stares and quick reflexes. Ian McDiarmid makes for a more chilling villain, even though his Darth Sidious stays in the shadows. The other characters are a mixed bag. Jake Lloyd's performance as Anakin has been criticized in some circles, but that seems a little unfair. He's enthusiastic, but not polished, and, while there are scenes in which he strikes the wrong note, there are also instances when he's good.

Natalie Portman, easily one of today's best young actresses, isn't given much to work with; she's too often in the background (although a couple of her scenes with Lloyd are effective at suggesting a deepening bond). The best performance belongs to Swedish actress Pernilla August (The Best Intentions, Fanny & Alexander), who gives a quiet, dignified portrayal as Anakin's mother. Ahmed Best plays Jar Jar Binks, a computer generated mistake included primarily for comic relief. He will amuse children but annoy adults. Finally, well-respected actors Terrence Stamp and Samuel L. Jackson have welcome cameos. Plainly, this is not an actors' movie and the director, George Lucas (at the helm for the first time since the original Star Wars), is not an actors' director. Lucas' forte is in creating worlds and pushing the special effects envelope, and, in both of those areas, The Phantom Menace doesn't just meet expectations - it exceeds them. For the most part, Lucas' vision isn't limited to putting spectacular visuals on screen for the purpose of creating a momentary sense of awe.

His intention is to craft a wonderful, weird, vast universe that we can experience in a way that no other movie has been able to offer. The Phantom Menace is a testimony to how far special effects have come. Does Lucas overdo it? Yes. Every scene is crammed with as many aliens, otherworldly creatures, and CGI synthetics as space will allow. Sometimes, it's breathtaking, but there are occasions when Lucas seems to be saying, "See! Look what I can do!" Another problem with the aliens is that some of them are too silly to be convincing, as if the director was placing added emphasis on capturing the adulation of the under-10 audience (something he probably already has). Jar Jar Binks is the most glaring example. He's irritating, and obviously a special effect. It's in set design that this film triumphs unquestionably. There's a gorgeously rendered submerged city on Naboo, underwater canyons filled with increasingly grotesque and dangerous sea monsters, and a Coliseum-like stadium on Tatooine. Then there's Coruscant, the Republic's capital - a planet where the single city encompasses the entire globe.

Views of the world, with soaring skyscrapers and a sky clogged with small spaceships, are as visually stunning as anything to have been shown on screen before. The enormous council chamber where Queen Amidala makes a plea for her people is equally impressive. When it comes to action sequences, The Phantom Menace is not lacking. There are several battles involving light sabers, the pod race on Tatooine (which clearly owes a debt to the chariot race in Ben Hur), a climactic space battle that echoes the ending of both Star Wars and Return of the Jedi, and an enormously complex war between two completely computer-generated opponents. Lucas has said that The Phantom Menace contains a hard-to-conceive 2000 special effects shots, and the final product makes it apparent that there's probably not a scene in which a computer didn't make some contribution. In many ways, the music for Star Wars has been as important and enduring as the images. The title theme is as instantly recognizable as a picture of Darth Vader's mask, and the soundtracks for the first three movies have been huge sellers (The Phantom Menace CD will doubtlessly surpass them all).

Despite not having composed a Star Wars score in 16 years, John Williams doesn't miss a beat, incorporating familiar notes and new material into a cohesive whole that provides the perfect, epic musical background to the film. Williams' approach also provides foreshadowing. Every time Darth Sidious appears, we hear strains of the "Emporer's Theme" from Return of the Jedi. And "Darth Vader's Theme" is used just once (and then only briefly and in a muted fashion) - when Yoda and Obi-Wan are speaking about Anakin's future. Looking at the big picture, in spite of all its flaws, The Phantom Menace is still among the best "bang for a buck" fun that can be had in a movie theater. It isn't as fresh as the original Star Wars nor does it have the thematic richness and narrative complexity of The Empire Strikes Back , but it is a distinct improvement over Return of the Jedi. In fact, after Return of the Jedi, I didn't have a burning desire to return to this galaxy "far, far away," but, with The Phantom Menace, Lucas has revived my interest.

Now, it's with genuine regret that I realize the next segment of the series is three long years away. Some will doubtlessly worry that The Phantom Menace will accelerate the conversion of movie theaters into giant arcades. And, while it's true that special effects-driven movies can be the bane of the industry, The Phantom Menace has far more going for it in terms of heart, plot, and human interest than the likes of Armageddon and Godzilla. This is not a mindless blockbuster designed solely to make a killing at the box office. Lucas, already wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice, is hopefully beyond that (not that he'll refuse the money...). What he has done with The Phantom Menace is to satisfy an artistic craving, and it shows in almost every frame. The director's vision and reverence for his own creation are the two key elements that differentiate this movie from 95% of the others with similar $100 million-plus budgets. The bottom line? Well, nearly everyone reading this review either has already seen or is going to see the film. It doesn't matter what any critic has to say; but, for what it's worth, you can proceed to the theater with a recommendation from this corner.

The Phantom Menace is not a masterpiece, but it's an example of how imagination, craftsmanship, and technological bravura can fashion superior entertainment out of something that is far from flawless. Star Wars (Episode 1): The Phantom Menace (United States, 1999) Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Doesn't Really Get What It Means To Be A Star Wars Movie Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Doesn't Really Get What It Means To Be A Star Wars Movie When the eighth word of the first Star Wars movie is “taxation,” you know there’s going to be a problem. Welcome to our Star Wars movie rewatch! Advertisement George Lucas’s 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace has long been a lightning rod for hatred, and for plenty of good reasons. However, revisiting the film, it’s kind of amazing to see just how badly it doesn’t understand what Star Wars actually is. Star Wars is archetypes. Good vs. evil. Star Wars is adventure, excitement, characters, humor, swagger, amazing locations and more amazing creatures.. It’s about people who are nothing becoming something.

And yes, The Phantom Menace has some of those things, but certainly not enough—and certainly not in a story that grabs the audience in any meaningful way. Advertisement Why did I decide to revisit Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace? Because we have six weeks until Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and I figured I’d rewatch one Star Wars movie per week, as a lead up. So I started at the beginning and, in the coming weeks, you’ll read about the other five as well. Oddly enough, “the beginning” is probably one of the biggest issues in The Phantom Menace. When it was released, fans had been waiting over 15 years for a new Star Wars movie, and anticipation was at an all time high. So things should have started with a bang. The world was George Lucas’ oyster, he could do absolutely anything. Star Wars was back! After the crawl, The Phantom Menace drops us in the middle of a trade dispute. Confused ambassadors taking orders from some kind of larger enemy, and even the Jedi in the middle don’t know what’s happening. Literally the first 20 of the movie feels like Lucas cut out 40 minutes beforehand, which contained some necessary context.

Sponsored All he had to do was look at his other movies. The original three Star Wars movies begin relatively simply, with conflicts between good and evil: Darth Vader and Princess Leia, The Empire vs. the Rebels, Luke vs. Jabba. Each is simple, relatable and interesting. This movie, though, starts with laughably convoluted, stupid and non-engaging series of events. By the time Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are swimming underwater, you can’t help be ask, “What the hell is happening?” Even the lightsaber battles serve no purpose, as the Jedi cut through Battle Droids like they were wet tissues. Nothing works. So we find out the trade disputes are just a cover for an invasion, the Jedi go to the planet of Naboo and meet Jar Jar Binks. I won’t get too deep here, as way too much has been written about his awfulness of Jar Jar. What I will say is when you are 30 minutes into your movie and your third lead speaks a dialect filled with words the audience doesn’t understand, it’s not a good thing.

This leads the trip to meet the other Gungans, and then take a trip through the planet’s core to get to the Queen. Advertisement Advertisement This scene struck me as incredibly problematic. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar take a Bongo across a deadly short cut to the Queen’s palace. We know they, eventually, have to meet the Queen—because if they don’t, holy crap how much longer could we delay the main story? But on the way they keep running into all these huge fish. Design-wise, they’re good looking, scary creatures. But only Jar Jar seems scared of them, and encountering them doesn’t push the story or character forward at all. It’s an excuse for a quick chat before they get to the Queen and with a bunch of expensive effects. It’s literally a pointless scene. That said, The Phantom Menace truly begins when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan finally meet Queen Amidala. Unfortunately, it takes about 25 minutes for that to happen. I can’t think of a worse mishandling of a franchise start than the beginning of The Phantom Menace.

It’s like George Lucas lined up for the 100 yard dash at the Olympics and not only tripped at the start, but crawled the first half of the race with bloody nose. I choose this moment as the real start of the movie because Queen Amidala is a character who actually has something to lose by this invasion. We have no idea what the Trade Federation is getting out of if or why they “struck this bargain.” They’re total blank slates. At least the Queen has some skin in the game. So when the Jedi help her escape it’s like, “Okay, she’s trying to save her people. I can buy that.” The group is forced to land on Tatooine and there, they meet Anakin Skywalker. You hear so many stories of how bad Jake Lloyd is in these movies but in his first scene, he’s actually kind of great. He’s cocky, he’s confused, he’s got a chip on his shoulder. I was almost ready to make this piece a defense of Jake Lloyd—but, over the rest of the movie, his performance becomes incredibly inconsistent. Part of that may be editing, but there’s no denying he has problems conveying such a complex character.

I don’t actually blame Lloyd for that, though. I blame Lucas for not giving him the best direction, and also making him just a bit too young. If Anakin had been older, it would have made his relationship with Padme more believable, and given him enough emotional maturity to make some crucial decisions. You almost get the sense that, at his age in the film, he would have had a bit more innocence. Advertisement Moving on. Qui-Gon needs parts for his ship, but has nothing of value to trade, so Anakin comes up with the idea of entering the podrace. While lots and lots and lots of the film’s effects do not hold up in 2015, the podrace does. It still looks real and provides some actual excitement, mostly because there are stakes. If they lose, they can’t leave the planet. If they win, Anakin is freed and will get to become a Jedi. That melds with the visuals for what’s probably the best scene in the movie. However, once they leave Tatooine, the film once again gets hamstrung with muddled trade disputes and political positioning. You may say that at least on Coruscant we finally meet the Jedi Council.

The problem is there’s no real build up to it. They’re just characters in seats that have no real weight other than what we’re told. Oh, and we recognize Yoda. Lucas fails to give the Jedi the gravitas of the Senate, which exists in an epic dome with floating platforms and stuff. That stuff feels important, but what happens is so boring (“I call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum”) it doesn’t matter. Sure, we realize who Senator Palpatine is going to become and how important this moment is in the development of his arc—but that’s not something the film earns. It’s something built in from the other movies. Advertisement Advertisement Skipping ahead a bit, when I saw The Phantom Menace in theaters (which I did. A lot) I would always love the film’s finale. Once they get back on Naboo and the film cross cuts between four different action scenes, it was incredibly rousing. Now, it’s less so. The battle between the Gungans and Battle Droids feels pointless and the terrible green plains are a huge eyesore. Queen Amidala and her group firing through the palace is made interesting mostly by the music.

Then there’s the iconic two-on-one lightsaber battle between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. There is absolutely no arguing the visual poetry of this scene. John Williams’ Duel of the Fates is also amazing and together, it’s a nice combination of elements. Still, watching this scene for probably the 30th time I found it much less exciting this time. It definitely has that Star Wars look, but it feels kind of secondary to the rest of the plan. We know the Jedi have to find out about the Sith, but fighting him feels insignificant compared to the story the movie has created. Even the scene itself has to add in artificial tension with those red energy things. Are they cool? Undeniably. But not as cool as I remember. They’re just another obstacle delaying things that much longer. Of the four threads at the end of the movie, my favorite this time was actually Anakin’s. His dog fight in space has a nice progression and feels character-driven. I also think “This is podracing,” coupled with the music, is the most “Star Wars” moment in the entire movie. So that helps. Advertisement Once the day is saved, the film feels rushed to its ending.

Obi-Wan gets Yoda to allow him to train Anakin, there’s Qui-Gon’s funeral, we get an essential tease about the Sith, then the big celebration, all in mere minutes. I wish that pace was applied to the first 40 or so minutes of the movie. Maybe it would’ve drawn us in more. Is The Phantom Menace as bad as history remembers? Yes and no. Yes, for all the reasons mentioned above and more. No, because it has a handful of genuine Star Wars moments. Moments, however, don’t quite make a movie. Next week:

Question: What sort of Menace was the 1999 Star Wars movie?
Answer: Phantom